The paths to top leadership positions
Beginning next week, the four governing boards responsible for setting city, water and school policies for Yorba Linda will select new leaders for 2010, a routine act that has, on occasion, created ill feelings among some of the elected representatives.
Generally, the boards—which include the City Council and the Yorba Linda Water, Placentia-Yorba Linda school and North Orange County Community College districts— follow one of three patterns when choosing which members will serve in leadership roles.
The most-used model is a rotation policy, with members taking turns filling the positions. Less common practices are to keep the same officers in place for a second year or to pass over a member and begin a new line of succession.
While the local boards used all three methods last year, the more controversial action was taken by council members, who over the years have deviated most often from the rotation policy, which for the city was initiated by the first five councilmen elected in 1967.
Last year, the council rejected elevating then-Mayor Pro Tem Jan Horton to mayor on a 3-2 vote, as John Anderson, Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing overruled Jim Winder and Horton. Schwing was named mayor 4-1, with only Horton opposed.
After the vote, Schwing announced 36 appointments, and later, according to the meeting minutes, “Horton asked if it wasn’t pre-decided, how did the mayor come to the meeting decided on appointments to organizations, agencies and committees without recommendations.”
Anderson was unanimously named mayor pro tem for 2009, and he’ll move to the mayor’s chair, if council returns to a rotation plan at the Dec. 1 meeting. Although this council’s actions are tricky to predict, Rikel is likely to be chosen 2010 mayor pro tem.
The city’s most famous skipover involved 30-year council vet Hank Wedaa, who served as mayor five times from 1971 to 1989, but not once during his final 10 years on council.
At the water district, Vice President Bill Mills appears certain to become president Dec. 10, since directors have bypassed only one member during the agency’s 50-year history.
President John Summerfield and Mills were named to the top jobs for 2008 and re-elected for 2009 by unanimous votes. Mike Beverage will be selected vice president, if directors, like council members, revert to the rotation method, as expected.
Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustees invariably follow a rotation policy, so at a Dec. 15 reorganization meeting, Carol Downey will replace Karin Freeman as president and clerk Jan Wagner will assume Downey’s vice president chores.
And Yorba Linda resident Mike Matsuda is in line to be president, replacing Leonard Lahtinen, and Barbara Dunsheath vice president, replacing Matsuda, when leaders are named Dec. 8 for the college board, which governs Fullerton and Cypress colleges.
Generally, the boards—which include the City Council and the Yorba Linda Water, Placentia-Yorba Linda school and North Orange County Community College districts— follow one of three patterns when choosing which members will serve in leadership roles.
The most-used model is a rotation policy, with members taking turns filling the positions. Less common practices are to keep the same officers in place for a second year or to pass over a member and begin a new line of succession.
While the local boards used all three methods last year, the more controversial action was taken by council members, who over the years have deviated most often from the rotation policy, which for the city was initiated by the first five councilmen elected in 1967.
Last year, the council rejected elevating then-Mayor Pro Tem Jan Horton to mayor on a 3-2 vote, as John Anderson, Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing overruled Jim Winder and Horton. Schwing was named mayor 4-1, with only Horton opposed.
After the vote, Schwing announced 36 appointments, and later, according to the meeting minutes, “Horton asked if it wasn’t pre-decided, how did the mayor come to the meeting decided on appointments to organizations, agencies and committees without recommendations.”
Anderson was unanimously named mayor pro tem for 2009, and he’ll move to the mayor’s chair, if council returns to a rotation plan at the Dec. 1 meeting. Although this council’s actions are tricky to predict, Rikel is likely to be chosen 2010 mayor pro tem.
The city’s most famous skipover involved 30-year council vet Hank Wedaa, who served as mayor five times from 1971 to 1989, but not once during his final 10 years on council.
At the water district, Vice President Bill Mills appears certain to become president Dec. 10, since directors have bypassed only one member during the agency’s 50-year history.
President John Summerfield and Mills were named to the top jobs for 2008 and re-elected for 2009 by unanimous votes. Mike Beverage will be selected vice president, if directors, like council members, revert to the rotation method, as expected.
Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustees invariably follow a rotation policy, so at a Dec. 15 reorganization meeting, Carol Downey will replace Karin Freeman as president and clerk Jan Wagner will assume Downey’s vice president chores.
And Yorba Linda resident Mike Matsuda is in line to be president, replacing Leonard Lahtinen, and Barbara Dunsheath vice president, replacing Matsuda, when leaders are named Dec. 8 for the college board, which governs Fullerton and Cypress colleges.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
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